Category: Then & Now
Compare history with the present in fascinating “Then and Now” photo pairs. See how cities, landmarks, and people changed over time.
These visual contrasts show the beauty of transformation and the persistence of heritage.
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#7 The Painted Ladies have escaped fire raging down the street. Mothers rest on the low wall in Alamo Square while their children play on the grass.
This striking “then and now” photo from Alamo Square pairs a peaceful present-day park scene with a dramatic historical moment, capturing the Painted Ladies in the foreground while heavy smoke pours down the street in the older view. The contrast highlights how the same hillside vantage can hold both everyday calm and citywide crisis, with…
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#23 Pedestrians cross Jones St towards a pile of rubble on Market Street. The Hibernia Bank building is burned out, but still standing strong.
This striking then-and-now photo looks down Jones Street toward Market Street, capturing pedestrians crossing in the foreground as the scene shifts from past devastation to present-day city life. The image is split between a historic black-and-white view filled with broken masonry and collapsed walls, and a modern color view with traffic, street signs, and everyday…
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#39 Union Square.
This “Then & Now” post pairs a historical photo with a modern view of Union Square, highlighting the striking contrast between past destruction and today’s lively public space. The blended image draws your eye from rubble-strewn streets and damaged structures into a greener square framed by mature palms, landscaped planters, and pedestrians moving through the…
